Captain Emrys Hiatus
by ForeverFic
Summary: Captain Merlin Emrys, the most revered pirate to ever sail the seven seas-depending on who you asked. He was a man of few words (or many if you could get him drunk). And he was, perhaps, the kindest soul you'd ever meet.
1. Prologue

And now I must tell you a little story that will please, and perhaps amuse you. A story about a legend that will surely surpass my own time and yours as well. A story about a man who, I feel, that everyone aspires to be and yet dares not to.

'But who is this man and when was this?' I can hear you ask, even now. This man remains a mystery, even to me, but our story begins many years ago.

Captain Merlin Emrys, the most revered pirate to ever sail the seven seas-depending on who you asked. He was a man of few words (or many if you could get him drunk). And he was, perhaps, the kindest soul you'd ever meet. None of that mattered, however, to most. The title of 'pirate' carried a sense of danger and cruelty. That is, unless you were one, then the title stood for adventure and loyalty.

One of the more prominent people who saw it as a curse, was none other than King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot. While he was prince, he understood the need for pirates, but found their line of work traitorous and deceiving. He never had to worry with them when his father was king. Now that he's king, he finds himself unable to avoid interacting with them.

But just maybe... They aren't as bad as they seem.

 **I want to know if you guys are interested enough in this idea for me to pursue it into a fanfiction. Review or PM to let me know! (Favoriting and following work too!)**


	2. Chapter 1

**First Impressions**

* * *

Arthur could remember the first time he had ever seen pirates. How could he not? The rowdy bunch were covered in dirt and grime, no better than pigs that roll around in filth.

Arthur never knew why his father felt the need to enlist their kind of work. He understood the tactical advantage; paying pirates to go and attack enemy trade ships all the while keeping your kingdom's involvement secret. It was a wonderful advantage, but it was a devious method and strictly against Arthur's moral code. It would be different if they were army ships, but they were simple trading ships harboring innocent civilians.

The very thought made Arthur almost retch. Arthur also wouldn't despise pirates so much if they weren't so damn happy all of the time! They killed people for a living and didn't show even the slightest ounce of remorse. Whenever he or one of his knights took a life, even if from an enemy, there was always some form of guilt that resorted.

Pirates were just terrible people, if you'd even consider them people. Arthur would always manage to escape them whenever they came to the castle on 'business', claiming he had other matters to attend to or that he was not feeling well. Uther would always try to get him to take part and learn about Camelot's relationship with pirates, but Arthur always refused.

Now that he was king, he was beginning to regret that.

"Again?"

"I'm afraid so, sire." Sir Leon replied. Arthur sighed.

"What can we do?" Arthur inquired. King Cenred had been acting suspiciously, sending out an unusual amount of ships and troops around Camelot's borders. It didn't violate their treaty, but Arthur still wasn't happy with it. He was up to something, Arthur just didn't know what. Sending in a group of knights to investigate would only anger Cenred since he wasn't violating the treaty. Arthur ran his hands through his hair.

"Sire," Leon began, "perhaps... it would be best to have a pirate ship siege one of Cenred's trade ships so that we know what he's sending out and bringing in."

"Leon! You know good and well I would never do that."

"But sire-"

Arthur interrupted him, "No! The last thing we need is pirate ships scaring the commoners." Leon smiled sadly. He walked over to his king and laid a hand on his shoulder, "We both know that's not why. I served under Uther for a while, and not all pirates are as bad as you think. In fact, I think there's one group in particular that you might find... more agreeable."

Arthur was exasperated. If Cenred was up to no good, which he most likely was, would he be willing to risk one trade ship for the sake of his entire kingdom?

"Call for the necessary preparations, and send for them. I'm going to retire early tonight."

Leon nodded, "Yes Sire."

Arthur left the council chambers, heading towards his room. The halls were empty this time of night, save the stray servants every now and again. He was happy to see that the fire in his room was lit. His manservant, George, had taken care of it before he left. A large array of finger foods were sitting atop the table in his room, of which he happily helped himself. Once he was thoroughly fed and warmed, he decided to turn in for the night.

Arthur was surprised to find that it was the sunlight that woke him and not his manservant. He considered the consequences of sleeping in, mulling over all the benefits he would gain from doing so. He got up anyway. The finger food that had been left the previous night had been replaced by a plentiful breakfast. Arthur sat down and dug in. The events of last night began to return and he pushed the food away. He wasn't hungry anymore. Arthur dressed himself, staring blankly at the empty fireplace.

Apparently, Leon had decided that he needed the day off to rest, which was why George had not been there to wake him up. Not that it did him any good.

"Leon, I wish to hold court this morning." Arthur declared. Leon turned from his work towards his king.

"Sire?" Leon inquired.

"You heard me. Please, ask the guards and staff to prepare for the commoners." Leon frowned, but went to do as he was told. If Arthur wanted it to be done, then so be it.

Since there were no meetings or appearances that demanded his immediate attention, Arthur decided holding court to be the best use of his time. He hadn't held it in a while and if there was going to be a pirate ship in Camelot's waters, then he needed to appear involved and concerned for his people's welfare, even if he was secretly the cause of it.

Arthur watched out the window as the royal messengers went to every town and province to spread the word. He returned to his rooms to get ready. George already had his garb washed and pressed so he made quick work of dressing Arthur for the event. When Arthur returned to the throne room, George in tow, he saw servants placing the final touches and then leaving. He crossed the room, head held high and sat on his throne. George placed the crown on his head as the guards let the first subject in.

She was a young woman - perhaps in her late twenties or early thirties - with brown hair tied in a slightly askew ponytail. She wore a plain pale-green dress with a white apron. The woman crossed the room quickly albeit shyly. She bowed in the presence of her king, but rose when Arthur waved his hand.

"My dear, what is your name?"

She fumbled with the edges of her apron, "Liah, Sire."

Arthur smiled. "What is it that I can do you?"

"Oh. Well, see my Lord... I've recently been engaged-"

"Congratulations."

Liah chewed on the bottom of her lip, "Thank you, Sire. I was wondering if you would give us your blessing? It would be an honor."

Arthur nodded in response to her question. "Yes, of course. I give both of you my blessing and I pray that both of you remain very happy and very much in love."

Liah bowed sharply, the wisps of her hair falling into her face. "Thank you very much, Sire!" She scurried out of the hall. A man replaced her, around his fifties with long grey hair. He quickly kneeled.

"Sire, it is urgent." He croaked.

Arthur leaned forward, "What is wrong?

The man stood up as he answered, "A sorcerer has been discovered practicing magic in our village. We did not know, and we now fear for the lives of our children."

Arthur stood up and walked towards the man. "Have no fear, speak to the guard and I will arrange for a few of my men to apprehend him."

"Bless you, Sire."

Arthur smiled and walked the man out. The rest of the commoners held similar plights; love, magic, crop failures, or sometimes bandits. By the time court was finished, the sun had set and dinner had been served some time ago. He sent George to draw a hot bath for him while he went to talk to Leon.

"Have you sent word to... /them/ yet?" Arthur inquired.

"Yes, my Lord. I sent out a messenger pigeon out at first light. We should receive word back in a week's time." The knight laid a hand on the king's shoulder, "Do not worry, sire. You will see, everything will work out just fine." Leon left to attend to his other duties. Arthur retired to the hot bath that awaited him in his chambers.

After Arthur enjoyed a plentiful breakfast the next morning, he went to train Camelot's new soldiers.

Swing. Parry. Thrust. Dodge. It was methodic, really. Practicing simple drills and correcting his protégées where they went wrong. His mind was so focused that it didn't wander, something he was thankful for. He broke for lunch, then went to review and sign documents. Afterwards he held a council meeting.

"I've called you all here to announce that because of King Cenred's movements, I've decided to hire a crew of pirates to investigate the matter. I've already sent word and we should receive some back in a week's time."

"That's very... Unusual for you, your majesty." an elderly man, Thaes, spoke. He was one of the oldest members of the royal court, someone Arthur trusted very well. "What band did you hire?"

Arthur shook his head. "I am unsure. I had Sir Leon take care of the details."

"Perhaps you could call him in so that he may enlighten us?"

"I'm afraid not. I sent him out on a task for the next fews days. There was a reported sorcerer in one of the outlying villages that he needed to attend to. He should return by the time we receive the pirate's reply." The advisors nodded, still slightly unsure of their King's decision. The rest of the meeting was uneventful, simple discussions of crops and taxes taking place. Once that was finished, Arthur ate his dinner. He went back to his chambers to spend the rest of the evening resting.

The next few days passed in a similar manner. Arthur wasn't sure whether or not he was glad for the uneventfulness. More often than not he found himself staring at the ceiling or floor of the magnificent castle. He was surprised by how anxious he felt for the arrival of the pirate's reply. Would they agree? Reject him? Only agree to work on ridiculous conditions? Arthur was plagued with these thoughts to the point where he couldn't sleep properly.

Arthur walked up the stairs and opened the old wooden door, "Gauis?" he called. The old man was atop a ladder, grabbing a book from a high shelf. Upon noticing his new visiter, he stepped down and brushed off his wooly robe.

"What can I do for you Sire?"

"I am in need of a sleeping tonic."

Gaius arched an eyebrow, something he did quite often. "May I ask why?"

"Nothing to worry yourself over, Gaius. I just have some things on my mind."

Gaius shifted towards his work table and begun to mix the medicine that his King had requested. "Perhaps talking about them would help... Alleviate some of you fears." He handed Arthur the foul smelling tonic. "Take this with your dinner each night and it should help you sleep."

"Thank you. It's just... My father was always ready to do what it took to protect his people, including hiring pirates to attack innocent trade ships. I want to do everything in my power to protect the people of Camelot, but I don't want to put innocent lives in danger to do so. The only thing pirates are good for is murder. We need them, though, so I have no choice..."

"Sire, if I may? Everyone does things they are not proud of, pirates included. I feel, that you should give them a chance. My own nephew is a pirate, but I know that he'd never hurt anyone if he could avoid it. Not only that, bit you are doing it in the name of protecting your people, which there is no shame in doing. You will understand this in time. For now though, I suggest you relax. Things in Camelot are peaceful for now, but with Cenred acting the was he is, I fear they won't be for long."

* * *

"Not much farther men! We should arrive in the village by nightfall." Leon shouted. He -along with Sir Nicholas and Sir Fredrick- was on his way towards Sanburg on reports that a sorcerer, or more specifically, a sorceress, had been discovered. She broke the law and the punishment was death. This was their second day of travel and their destination was within reach.

They were nearing Sanburg when they saw large clouds of smoke bellowing from the village. They pushed their horses into a gallop, their hooves kicking up dirt and stone behind them. When they arrived it was too late, the village was enveloped in flames and the bodies of the dead littered the roads. Leon pulled his horse to a stop.

"What hell is this?"

 **A few things:**

 **1)My updates are very flexible, it could be two days or two months.**

 **2)I don't plan on including Morgana or Gwen in this story because I want it to focus on Arthur and Merlin's relationship. It will include Morgause though. Let me know if you have any ships or such in mind, I'll see what I can do.**

 **3)I have a _HUGE_ favor to ask every single one of you. In my AP English Language class, we're doing genius hour projects. In other words, we're using our interests and talents to make a difference and help our communities. I decided to team up with the Thirst Project to help thousands around the world. I've recently created a page to accept donations. We're trying to reach 2,000$.**

 **Any of you could donate money or if you can't at the moment, then you can share the page on any and all social media you have and with your families and friends, or you can do both! Not only is this a huge help with my project, but it also goes to a great cause. I'd like to thank all of you for doing anything you can to spread the word so once you've donated or posted about it, just PM me. We can skype, facetime, use google hangouts, swap emails, numbers, etc. I could write you a personalized oneshot, read one of your stories, help you with a story, something to thank all of you who spread the word. I look forward to seeing you all soon!**

 **Link to page:**

my **dot** thirstproject **dot** org/fundraise?fcid=542568


	3. Chapter 2

**Come One, Come All**

* * *

"It was leveled to the ground. Nothing was left but ash."

"And you're certain that there were no survivors...no...witnesses?"

"Without a doubt."

Arthur scratched his chin. "I see. So then, we have no proof about who might have done this. What a shame." The king laid back in the chair that was at his desk, which was inside his chambers. Leon stood in front of said desk, hands held behind his back as he spoke to his ruler.

"What should we tell the people? If there's a sorcerer roaming around, then we need-"

Arthur cut the knight off, "We tell them nothing."

"But sire... surely they can't just be left in the dark. They need to be on the lookout." Leon replied. It made no sense to the knight, and it would only put the people in danger.

"No. That's the last thing we need right now. If they know that there's a rogue sorcerer running around, they'll panic. Panic causes chaos. And with tensions so high with Cenred as well as the pirates, we really don't need him to think that we're weak. Plus, we don't want this sorceress to know that we're on to her. If she thinks that we don't know about her, she won't be so careful."

"Highness, that'll put the lives of the citizens nearby at risk. I'd advise you against it, it's not ethical."

"I am a King, Sir Leon, I must protect my kingdom, even if lives end up being sacrificed. I wouldn't expect you to understand... please, leave me."

"But sire-"

"That's an order, Sir Leon." The knight refrained from replying and did as he was told. Arthur sighed, holding his head in his hands. The last few days had been stressful. He had awaited for both the return of his most trusted knight, as well as a reply from the pirates, which he had still yet to receive from them. Perhaps they weren't interested in the job? Were they off busy killing people? Maybe the letter had been lost amongst the messengers. No, Arthur thought. He would hear back, it was just a matter of time.

Their relationship with Cenred was deteriorating quickly. Arthur was at a loss for what to do. In hopes to take his mind off their impending doom, he shifted through the mess on his desk and began paperwork. Although he hated it with a passion, paperwork was one of the easiest duties as king, one that required little thought and was very methodical. It was similar to training, but with less physical strain and fatigue.

He spent the next few hours working, the messy pile on top of his desk diminishing as time progressed. George came in once while he was working, carrying in lunch. The full plate was left untouched on his table. He wasn't in the mood to eat, anyways. When the paperwork was finished, Arthur sat back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair. The young king popped the joints in his back and neck and sighed with content. He took a few bites from his plate of food, but the left the rest.

He left his room and headed down the hall. When he turned the corner, he bumped into someone, knocking them both down. He collected his thoughts and stood up, then went to help the other person up as well. It was a servant girl that would help Gaius on occasions since he was getting up in age.

"Ah, sire, I'm sorry, I didn't see you. But actually, this is most fortunate because I was in fact, looking for you."

"What is it that you need?"

"Oh, well," she fumbled for a moment, before taking a vial out from a pocket in her gown, "Gaius asked me to give this to you, he said that it was another sleeping tonic because you would run out of yours soon."

Arthur took the vial from her hand, "Ah, I see. Well, thank you, please, carry on."

"Yes, of course, sire!" With that, she hurried off to finish her other chores. Arthur continued with his duties as well. It was late in the afternoon when the royal messenger came into the main hall.

"Sire, I bring urgent news."

"Well don't just stand there, tell me already." Arthur snapped.

"Yes sire." The man pulled out a piece of parchment that was tied with a black ribbon. "It's a reply from Capt-"

"Quick, hand it over." He did as he was told and passed the roll to the King. Arthur tore the ribbon off of the message and threw it to the floor without a thought. His hands trembled with apprehension and-dare he say it-excitement. Carefully, as though the parchment would rip if he was too forceful, he unraveled the letter and began to read:

 _Dear A. of C.,_

 _I was most interested when I received your message. For a while, I was beginning to believe that you would never enlist my... shall we say, expertise. You see, your father and I had a very beneficial business relationship, but it seems that you will not be picking up after him. A shame, really, when you think about it. After all, I am a master of my trade_.

 _I'm sure you understand that I will not be releasing any specific information in this letter due to confidentiality, and well, we can't have a scandal going around, now can we? You'd be out of a kingdom and I'd be out of a job. My men and I will depart for Camelot shortly after this letter so that you have time to prepare and so that we have time to finish last minute tasks._

 _Now, before we can even begin negotiating terms, I have a few strict rules that must be followed at all times:_

 _1) Under no circumstances do you have any control over any of my men. Please keep in mind that while you may be a king, you are not our king, and you therefore have no legal or moral authority over any of us., so don't even try._

 _2) You can not hold us accountable for any crimes that we commit while in your service. Once more, you are not our king and please take into account our profession, and as such, some rules must be broken in order for our job to be accomplished. Fairly simple to understand, right? Good._

 _3) No secrets. As I'm sure you already know, just the fact that I am replying to your inquiry makes this a very delicate situation. In a situation like this, there is no room for lies, only truth. I promise to share nothing but the truth with you, and in return I only ask the same._

 _4) Keep in the mind, that I am for hire. And by that, I mean that I will take on almost any job, within reason. I must remain the utmost unbiased towards you and your enemies. Your enemies might be my next employers and you may be my next target. It's how the world works. Gotta make a living somehow, right? Now, if you wish to create a long term contract, like your father, that might be a bit different._

 _5) Do not ever question my methods. I am the head of my profession and I know what I'm doing. You may think you know a better solution, but you don't... so... just accept it, okay? It makes it easier for all of us._

 _Of course, I have other terms, but these are the ones that I will not budge in anyway. If you find yourself unable to agree to these five simple requests, then you might as well go ahead and send word to us that the deal is off. No hard feelings, I promise. If you're having trouble deciding whether or not to agree to these terms, please keep in mind that your father agreed to these five terms and them some, and we had a contract for almost 8 years. We will arrive in Camelot within a few hours of this letter reaching you. We will see you soon_.

 _Best Regards_ ,

 _"Dragoon"_

Arthur's eyes stared blankly at the parchment in his hands. Who did this man think he was! The sheer arrogance that he could feel from reading the letter was outstanding. Arthur knew that if the man was like this around him, then there was no way they could work together. And those terms! They made sense, but Arthur didn't know if he could agree to them. Especially the one about secrets. He's the employer here, he's the one in charge.

Although, his people were in danger, and he couldn't afford to be rash. The terms weren't entirely unreasonable, and his father had worked with him, so he must've thought that it was a good idea. There was no telling what Cenred was plotting, and he had to get to the bottom of it. The whole ordeal was beginning to test his nerves, in the most unpleasant ways.

Arthur shouted, "Sir Leon, my chambers, now!"

"Yes, sire." Leon followed Arthur as the king practically stormed to his room. Arthur threw the doors to his chambers open in frustration, causing a loud boom to echo throughout the hall. Leon stepped inside his room behind him, making sure to shut the doors so that no prying ears could hear their conversation.

"Read this." Arthur tossed the message to the knight. Leon's eyes roamed over the ink, reading the letter as he was told.

"What is wrong, sire? I believe that these terms are quite reasonable, and you haven't even spoke to them yet to discuss further ones. You aren't their king, and you are hiring them to do crime, so you can't really prosecute them for it."

"Leon, have you ever met this pirate?"

"Yes, I knew him when he worked for your father."

"What was he like?" Arthur asked, his voice soft and hesitant.

"Well sire, believe it or not, he was actually very kind. He did have a small sense of arrogance and power around him, but it wasn't without justification. I've seen him do his job, and it's pretty amazing. He's quick and discrete. I don't know what specific kinds of jobs that he does, since it was between your father him alone. Your father trusted him explicitly. I daresay that he saw him as a friend."

"What about his crew?"

"Well, they are definitely more brash than he, and more violent, but they treat their captain almost like a god. They follow his orders without question and would never even entertain the thought of betrayal or mutiny."

"I see..." Arthur sat down on the edge, slumping his shoulders in both fatigue and frustration. "Do you think I'm making the right decision?"

"If I may, I think you're doing what needs to be done in order to protect the people of your kingdom. Some of the things are being done in the wrong way, but still being done. If you believe that we have no other choice, then meet with these pirates, come to a compromise and find out what's going on. And if it ends up being the wrong decision, well... It's okay to make a mistake with the right intentions, then to succeed with the wrong intentions."

oooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo

The sun was setting, the sky painted with tones of orange, purple, and pink. The scuffle of boots could be heard all throughout the citadel. Commoners parted almost subconsciously to let the men through, even though they had no idea who they were. The group of men, and some women, moved in sync, following the one that walked a few paces ahead. The man at the front walked with in a way that was both graceful and powerful, but brute as well. He walked towards the castle steps, his men not far behind. He turned to one of the knights that were guarding the gates.

"Take me to your king."

 _ **Please review!**_

 _ **I still haven't heard anything shipping wise, so I suppose I'll leave it alone for now. Also, I'll be needing an editor for this. Someone who can go through and make sure that everything is written correctly and that it's spelled right, but also give me some ideas that they may have. I might not use them, but it's nice to have second opinions. I also might have more than one editor, and I'll make sure to thank you in every chapter for your hard work and dedication. If you're interested, just PM me your email (must be gmail) and we'll talk!**_


	4. Chapter 3

**Hide and Seek**

* * *

"Sire?"

Arthur turned from the table he was working at and looked at the guard, "What is it?"

"There's a-" The man was cut off by the doors of the hall bursting open. Arthur, although he would die before he admitted it, startled at the abrupt sound.

A small group of men and women walked into the room, lead by one man alone. He was tall, slightly more so than Arthur, and very lithe. The clothes that he wore were thick and clung to his body tightly, clearly of a higher quality than the baggy clothes that his crew were wearing. He was dressed in dark colors except for the blue navy coat that he wore. It was lined with silver trimming, a few designs sewn into the fabric. A black hat was held on his hip underneath his coat, a bright blue feather pinned inside of it. Captain Emrys' jolly rodger was imprinted on it, the normal skull and crossbones, except the skull was of a dragon instead of a human. It was hidden to all in the room except Arthur, who had a clear sight of it. A black neckerchief covered his face from the nose down. Him and his whole crew were unusually clean, only slight patches of dirt covering their bodies.

The Captain stepped forward. "Are you King Arthur?" Arthur nodded. "Good. Now, if everyone were to be so kind as to get the hell out, we can get started." Everyone gawked at the man. Arthur was fuming, but he nodded anyway, and everyone filed out of the room, leaving him alone with the pirates.

"Splendid. Captain Emrys at your service, and these are my men." He gestured to the group of people behind him.

"You can not speak to my people like that. They deserve more respect, and so do I."

Emrys frowned, "I do believe that I mentioned that you are not my King. I will speak as I wish, and so do my men. If you have a problem with that, we will go ahead and depart."

"No! Please... I'm sorry. You're right. I need your help."

"Glad we're on the same page." They shook hands. Now that they were standing so close, Arthur noticed the bright blue eyes of the man before him. He smelt of the woods instead of the ocean Arthur was expecting. Instead of salt water and seafood, this man smelled of oak and dirt, something Arthur found extremely soothing for some reason.

"Please, get settled in before we talk. I assume you'll be staying for a few days to recuperate from your journey. My manservant, George will direct you to our guest chambers. We'll talk more in depth soon. For now, relax and enjoy everything Camelot has to offer." The man nodded, and they left the room. The others slowly began to re-enter the room and they continued their day.

Arthur could not focus at all, and he was called out on it more than once throughout the day. He couldn't stop thinking of the captain. Something about him just irked the king, and Arthur would not stand for it! They were everything he expected, but yet not at the same time. He hadn't expected the entire crew to some, but they seemed small. At the most, he only saw two females and five males. Barely enough people to work a farm. Arthur hoped that they were just his right hands and the rest were still with their ship, wherever that may be. Probably in the docks east of the Citadel, if he had to guess. Great, nothing like hiding in plain sight. Hopefully, they had the right mind to take down their jolly rodger at least. Probably not.

Arthur excused himself from the tax collectors and retired to his room. He sat on the edge of his bed, his mind running rampant. Arthur could feel a headache beginning to form, something he very much did not want. George knocked on his door. Arthur called out and he came in, carrying his dinner. Arthur sat down to eat. The king pulled Gaius' tonic out from his pants and slipped the rest of the bottle into his wine. With that, he might be able to get some rest. George refilled his goblet when it quickly ran dry. Arthur sighed.

"Tell me something, George."

"Yes, sire?"

"What did you think of the... guests that came in earlier?"

The manservant thought for a moment before responding, "They sure are a rowdy bunch. They were almost offended when I told them that their leader would have a room to himself and the rest of them would be sharing rooms. They insisted on all sharing one room. I had the servants move all of the men into one room, while giving their leader his own, but it was attached. I figured it would be best to keep them happy. The man in charge did not seemed bothered it, though. I think they'll keep our hands full, but they seem to have this... air around them that gives me reassurance. A feeling of safety, I suppose would be a better way to put it. I don't know... it is strange."

"I see. Thank you, George. That will be all." His manservant bowed and left the room. Arthur finished eating his dinner. The effects of the potion were already showing as his vision became slightly fuzzy. Of course, that could also be a side effect of the wine. He stumbled to his bed and threw back the covers. Without removing his day clothes, he climbed in and fell asleep.

George came in the next morning as expected and woke him up for training. He got dressed and ate breakfast silently, his mind still foggy from sleep; a side effect of the potion Gaius had gave him. Once he was properly up and moving around, the fog cleared and he was ready for the day. He left his chambers and went outside. The grass was covered from the early morning dew and quite slippery. He used this as an example for his knights to always be on guard while fighting. The training went uneventfully. Now it was time for his council meeting.

The king returned to his room for a bath so he would be presentable for his advisors. Once he was finished and dressed in more formal clothes, Arthur walked into the council room. He sat down at his spot at the table and addressed the men sitting around him.

"Gentlemen. Thank you for attending this routine meeting." They spoke about boring things, taxes, trainings, crops, imports and exports, the same thing they went over every meeting they had.

"Your Highness, what news do you have of the sorceress attacks?"

Arthur stiffened. "As of now, we have little information since the entire village had been burned to the ground. All of our potential witnesses have been killed."

"What about the man who alerted you of her treachery?"

"I'm afraid what he could offer was useless. The only thing he could give us was a name, which was most likely fake, and her appearance, which she could change at any time if she's as powerful as he made her out to be."

Thaes spoke up. "And what about the pirates? I heard that they came in yesterday evening and caused quite the ruckus."

"Yes, they did. They are staying in the castle now."

"What were their demands? Attack plans?"

"I do not know," Arthur began, "I have not had a chance to speak with them yet. It was late, the sun had begun to set. I felt that it would've been best if I let them retire and speak with them today."

"Then you best hurry and get it done. The last thing we need is a group of pirates roaming around the castle. Can you imagine the scandal if someone found out? With Cenred and this new sorceress, that's the last thing this kingdom needs. I suggest that you speak to them, and you speak to them soon." Arthur nodded and watched the men file back out of the room. He sighed and leaned against the table. Great, now the council thought of him as incompetent, just what he needed.

He decided that the council was right and that he needed to talk to Captain Emrys. If anything, at least talk to his crew for the first time, but Arthur just couldn't work up the urge to do it. He was a King for Christ's sake. If he couldn't talk to a silly pirate captain, then who could he talk to? He commanded hundreds of men on a whim, fought against evil magic wielders and treacherous rulers, he could talk to one man on his own. With this empowerment in mind, Arthur set off to find the captain.

He could not. The first place he looked was the guest chambers, but the man was not in his room. Arthur thought about asking his crew, but he knew that they would never willingly give up their captain's whereabouts, no matter who he was. The young king searched everywhere he could think of: the gardens, the kitchens, the servant quarters, the weapon room, even the treasury, but Captain Emrys was nowhere to be found. Arthur told a small amount of guards that he wanted the man to be found. He was still without news.

Arthur went to finish the new paperwork waiting for him in his room, when he remembered that he had used the last of his potion the night before. He veered from his path and made his way to Gaius' chambers. Arthur was about to knock on the door when he heard voices coming from inside. Recognizing one of the voices of the man he had been searching all day for, he decided to listen in on the conversation-despite his better judgement.

"Seriously, you told him that?" The captain asked. He sounded a lot less intimidating and a lot... younger than he had before.

"Yes." The healer replied.

"And he didn't connect it at all?"

"No. I thought it might have hinted at you, but apparently, he did not think anything of it. In his defense, he did have a lot on his mind."

"That's no excuse. I have a lot of things on my mind, all of the time, but I'm still not a complete clotpole."

"Don't be so rude, you haven't even properly met him yet."

"He seems to have a bit of a temper, I can tell you that. Honestly, I was beginning to think that I wouldn't be able to fulfill my destiny because he was being so stubborn. Hopefully, we'll be able to meet an agreement and take a step forward towards our goal." What goal, and with whom? Surely not himself, Arthur had no idea what he was talking about. And since when were Gaius and Captain Emrys so chummy?

"I would not fret over it. Let things take their course and everything will work out in the end. How is Hunith doing, have you seen her lately?"

"Yes, fortunately." Emrys did not sound thankful. "You know how she is, ever since Ballinor passed away 8 years ago, she's never been the same. She barely eats or sleeps, and she's always staring into space. She's miserable. I feel awful for leaving her. Once we're finished with this job, I'm going to return to her and live with her until she too, passes away."

"Mer-" Gaius cut himself off before he could continue. "Emrys. Hunith would never want you to give up the life you love for her. If you are truly worried for her, I will go and watch over her."

"No, that is not necessary, but thank you Gaius. Will has offered to stay with her, but I refused him. Perhaps I will rethink my decision when I don't have work to do." Arthur heard footsteps nearing the door and he scrambled to get away before it opened. Thankfully, he found sanctuary behind a pillar as the man left the room and walked down the hall. Arthur waited for a few minutes.

Should he follow the man so that he doesn't lose track of him again, or should he get the sleeping tonic from Gaius before the older man retired for the night? For once, he used his better judgement and entered Gaius' chambers. The man had not noticed him come in, so Arthur cleared his throat. Gaius turned towards him.

"Hello, sire. It's getting late, dare I ask what you are doing here?"

"I just came for a refill of that sleeping tonic. I must say, it really works wonders. I sleep like a baby." Gaius nodded, but eyed the king warily. Perhaps Gaius knew that he had been eavesdropping? Probably not, Gaius was not as young as he used to be, and that was evident by his hearing. The elder couldn't hear someone calling to him from down the hall, nevertheless a king sneaking behind a door. He was very talented and gifted though, that Arthur could not deny.

"Here. Let me know if you need anymore, your majesty."

"Thank you and good night, Gaius." Arthur took the concoction and left the room. The king retired to his chambers and ate the dinner George had left him without taking his potion. Arthur laid wide awake in his bed that night, thoughts of what he'd heard shoving sleep away. Try as he might, sleep eluded him hours into the night.

The next day passed as they usually did. To his surprise, other than a few girls gossiping, he really didn't hear much about the pirates. That meant one of two things; his people were completely oblivious, or the pirates weren't causing any ruckus. Hoping it was the latter, Arthur went about his kingly duties. He ended up running into Leon later that day and spoke with him. Speaking with his most trusted knight gave him the courage once more to talk to the captain.

With baited breath, he knocked on the man's door. To his surprise, a woman with brown hair and eyes opened the door.

"Oh, your Highness. What can I do for you?" It was apparent by her clothes that she was part of Emrys' crew.

"I'm here to speak with your captain."

The woman opened the door to let the king through while shouting back, "Captain, the king is finally here to talk to you!"

"Ah, thank you, Freya! I just need to finish getting dressed." Arthur stepped inside the large room, although not nearly as big as the royal chambers. There was a bed on the far side of the room, with a table for meals next to it. A wardrobe was against the wall and a dressing screen next to it. He noticed another woman, a blonde, sitting on the bed. Emrys was behind the screen, getting dressed.

When the man was finished, he stepped out. His clothes were still dark browns and blacks, but he lacked his coat and hat. The neckerchief was still covering his mouth and nose.

"Hello, your Highness." They moved to shake hands.

"Good evening. Emrys."

Before he knew it, a dagger was at his throat. It was the blonde woman who had been sitting on the bed. "It's Captain Emrys, to you."

The man in questioned put his hand on her shoulder. "Enough, Isolde. Take Freya and go see the others, the king and I need to talk. Alone."

The woman bowed her head after her scolding. "Yes, Captain." She took the other girl, Freya, and left the room.

"I'm sorry about that. They can tend to be a bit... how you say, possessive. I have no idea why, I can take care of myself. They do make claims that I am... naive to many things, but I disagree. Please, sit." Emrys gestured towards the table next to his bed. Arthur took a seat and watched as the captain did the same.

"Now, I assume that you are here to speak about our specific terms?" Arthur nodded. Emrys continued, "Very good. Now, you know the five terms that I won't budge on, do you agree to them?"

Arthur thought about it. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind, trying to figure out which would be the better option. Knowing what he had to do, he answered, "Yes. Although I do not like them all, I will agree. I just want to protect this kingdom from ruin."

"Don't we all? Now, let's go more in depth. Payment options, we won't charge you until after our job is done: partly because we won't know the extent of what we'll have to do until it's done, but also because we need to earn our keep. Our normal charge is that you have to pay for our ship's expenses for the next two years, food, equipment, the usual. Another thing regarding money is that we'll be taking any goods and money that comes off of ships that we attack. Understood?"

"Yes, that sounds reasonable. I have a few demands of my own. No matter what happens, you are not allowed to reveal Camelot's involvement with your crew. The second is that you will treat me with respect. I may not be a king, but I am still a warrior that needs respect. I'll respect you, and you'll respect me. Do not forget, that I am the employer. I am paying you, and you should treat me as such."

Emrys leaned in closer to the king. He placed his elbows on the table and held his hands together, his face very close to Arthur's. "Client confidentiality, alright. As for respect; I will show it to you when you've proven that you deserve it. Let me remind you, that you are our client. You came to us, asking for our help. We can always go to someone else who would be more than happy to agree to our terms. We do not have any responsibility to you, and as such, you should really hold your tongue. Once we sign this contract, I'll be the one in charge: my ship, my men, my job, my client."

"I don't know where you get off on the idea that you own everyone. Your father was never like this. He demanded respect, but he proved to me that he deserved it. Anything that he wanted of me, I wanted of him, and he understood that. Now, if you get off of your high horse, we might be able to reach some kind of agreement."


End file.
